General Information and Policies

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All graduate students will be governed by the regulations and requirements specified in the Graduate Studies Bulletin in effect at the time of first graduate program matriculation at Hofstra. Refer to the major area for specific requirements.

1. Students who wish to study for graduate degrees, certificates or diplomas should apply to the Office of Graduate Admissions for acceptance in their major programs before commencing graduate study. Until they have been accepted in their major area, they have no assurance that any credits they receive will apply toward their degree. Nonmatriculated students must make application for acceptance in their major area before they have completed 12 semester hours at the University unless they have written approval from the appropriate graduate Director to continue their studies on a nonmatriculated basis.
2. Grading in graduate courses includes the categories A, B, C, D, F and P/F. Alphabetical grades are further divided into plus and minus levels (see Grades). No credit will be allowed toward graduate degrees for D grades. Graduate students may repeat courses in which they receive D grades.
3. Graduate students may repeat a course with the approval of their Graduate Director or academic adviser. Students also are encouraged to consult with the faculty member who will be teaching the course that they intend to repeat. A faculty member may give preference to first-time takers of the course when enrollment reaches its limit. Students may not repeat a course for credit towards the GPA if that course was a prerequisite for a course that has already been taken. Prior to registering for a repeated course, a graduate student must submit the Graduate Repeat Course Form, signed by the Graduate Director or academic adviser, and by the Chair of the Department or Program, to the Office of Academic Records. Graduate students may repeat a course only once to receive credit toward their GPA. In addition, students may repeat no more than two courses to receive credit toward their GPA. However, the total number of courses that a graduate student may repeat to fulfill or complete the requirements for a degree will be determined by the Graduate Director or academic adviser. Both the grade for the initial course and the grade for the repeated course will be included in the calculation of the GPA. Both grades will appear on the transcript. Credit toward the degree will be awarded only once for this course. Repeating a course more than once may impact your financial aid. Please consult with the Office of Student Financial Services.
4. An Incomplete grade will be given at the discretion of the instructor in a graduate course and only under unusual circumstances. Incomplete work must be completed and submitted to the instructor for a grade by the end of one calendar year from the close of the semester or session in which the course was taken.
5. Students who wish to withdraw from a course must secure the appropriate forms at the Student Financial Services and Registrar Suite located in Memorial Hall or online and return the completed form to the Office by the last day of classes prior to the start of the designated final examination period. The student may withdraw without the approval or agreement of the instructor. If a student withdraws after the first 1/4 of the course a grade of W will appear on the transcript.
6. All credits applied toward the master’s degree must be earned within the period of five years starting from the date of completion of the first course applicable to the degree. Exceptions will be made for any period of intervening military service.
7. As a condition for graduation, the master’s candidate must successfully complete a comprehensive examination, thesis, or other summative/capstone project that is a substantive equivalent in the major area of study. The comprehensive examination grade must be reported by the major department to the Office of Academic Records no later than December 1, May 1, or August 1 in the semester in which the degree will be granted. No advanced degree will be conferred upon a candidate who fails this examination more than once. A request for a review of a comprehensive examination must be made no later than three (3) weeks into the subsequent fall or spring semester following the comprehensive examination. The examination is typically offered twice during the year, in October and March. (Exception: Psychology, see Degree Requirements for each program.) Exact dates are determined at the beginning of each semester. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the time and place of the examination.
8. No graduate credit will be granted for courses numbered below 200 in the Hofstra system.
9. Graduate students, with the permission of their graduate adviser, chairperson of the department in which the course is offered, and course instructor, may take up to two 2000-level courses (not to exceed 8 s.h.). 2000- level courses are graduate courses offered in conjunction with 100-level courses, for which graduate students are expected to fulfill substantially enhanced requirements. No student, however may enroll in a 2000-level course if he/she received undergraduate credit for the equivalent undergraduate course.
10. No credit will be allowed for courses taken at another school while enrolled in a degree program at Hofstra unless they are relevant to the student’s program of study and are approved in advance on an official form available online and in the Office of Academic Records.
11. Courses numbered 251 and 252 should be devoted to independent readings under the direction of a faculty member assigned to the graduate student applying for such credits. A maximum of six semester hours of credit may be earned toward a graduate degree in 251 and 252 courses.
12. A graduate student who has not completed the work in courses 301 and 302 must maintain matriculation each subsequent semester until the requirements of the course have been completed. This will require paying a matriculation fee if the student is not enrolled in one or more regular credit courses. Students who are enrolled solely in non-credit bearing coursework will be registered as Maintaining Matriculation by the Registrar and will be charged the published Maintaining Matriculation fee.
13. Whenever matriculated graduate students wish to transfer candidacy from one major area to another, they must initiate their request on an official form which is available at the Office of Academic Records.
14. a. It is the responsibility of all graduate students to monitor their academic progress. A full-time or part-time graduate student
    will be placed on academic probation at the end of any fall or spring semester in which his/her cumulative grade point average falls below 3.0. For master’s, doctoral, and other graduate programs in which academic performance standards are set either by accrediting bodies, or by the programs themselves, those standards will take precedence over this university probation policy. In addition, graduate students who are enrolled in student teaching or an internship/externship must abide by the field experience policies established in their respective graduate programs. Those policies supercede the university probation policy stated here.
    b. All students placed on academic probation will be sent a letter by the Office of Academic Records informing them of their probationary status by the third week of January following the fall semester and by the third week of June following the spring semester. A copy of this letter also will be sent by the Office of Academic Records to the student’s program director or adviser. This letter will serve as formal notification by the University that graduate students on academic probation must raise their G.P.A. to 3.0 or higher by the end of the subsequent spring or fall semester to avoid the possibility of dismissal. Graduate students who do not raise their G.P.A. to 3.0 or higher within these stipulated limits may be dropped officially from their program of study. (See the University Policy for Dismissal and Appeal in this Bulletin.)
    c. While on academic probation, a student must receive the approval of his/her program director or adviser to register for further coursework. Therefore, all students on probationary status are required to meet with their program director or adviser. The program director or adviser will make a record of this meeting and will place it in the student’s department file. In addition, a student on academic probation will have a hold placed on his/her subsequent course registration by the Office of Academic Records. This hold will be removed, and the probationary status will be cleared, once the student raises his/her G.P.A. to 3.0 or higher.
    d. Students who have accumulated 25 percent or more of total attempted semester hours in INCs, which have stood longer than the time allowed for completion, and Ws may be placed on probation after due consideration by the program director and the department chairperson. A graduate student with especially serious academic deficiencies is subject to immediate dismissal when such deficiencies make it apparent that the student’s continuation in the program will not result in his or her successful completion of the program. Dismissed students may petition for readmission no sooner than one full year following the dismissal. However, they may be readmitted only under special circumstances and after a careful review of their case by either the program director, chairperson or dean and the faculty of their major area.
15. Graduate students clearly guilty of gross and unambiguous violations of academic honesty (e.g., cheating on exams or graded projects, quoting a substantial portion of a source verbatim without citation) shall be suspended or dismissed. Graduate students clearly guilty of other forms of academic dishonesty (particularly those concerning a more sophisticated understanding of the use of sources and development of an authorial voice) shall be subject to a range of penalties, including rewriting the assignment, failure of the assignment or of the course, or suspension/dismissal from the University. For further details concerning violations of academic honesty within graduate study as well as procedures for handling such violations and for reviewing and appealing charges of academic dishonesty, see Faculty Policy Series 11G.
16. Students studying for master’s degrees must complete at least 24 semester hours of their course work (not including elementary school student teaching) in residence at Hofstra.

Master’s Essay or Thesis

For specific thesis subject approval and completion requirements, see departmental programs. Once the thesis is signed by the appropriate departmental faculty member(s), the manuscript must be submitted to the Axinn Library electronically. Electronic submission is easy and convenient. Complete instructions are available on the Axinn Library website. The thesis must be submitted no later than the last day of classes of the semester or summer session when the degree is expected to be conferred. (For exceptions, see departmental programs.)

Part-time students should arrange to take not more than three semester hours of course work in addition to 301 or 302 in each of the semesters during which they are writing their essays. All subjects must be approved by the chairperson of the department in which the work is to be done. 

Admission

1. An acceptable baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution is required for admission to courses in a doctoral program unless extraordinary circumstances prevail.
2. In addition to other screening procedures, some form of broad area and/or aptitude examination such as the MAT or GRE is required for admission as a matriculated doctoral student.
3. Adequate evidence of students’ ability to do quality doctoral work must be obtained, at a point in their studies to be determined by each program, before they are accepted as doctoral candidates.
4. A nonrefundable tuition deposit of $250 is required of all accepted full-time doctoral students. When registering for the semester for which the student has been admitted, the deposit will be credited toward tuition.

Degree Requirements

Residency

1. The minimum residence requirement is defined as 30 semester hours within a period of two consecutive years (which may include three summers).
2. A residence plan of study specifying the activities and alternative means of using the residency time allotment must be submitted by the candidate and approved by the adviser and the department chairperson prior to the start of formal residency. The department chairperson and adviser may stipulate the terms of the plan in granting approval.
3. At least half of the course work required for the doctorate must be taken at Hofstra during the 10-year period preceding the conferral of the degree.

Time limitation

1. The above restrictions also set a limit of 10 years from admission as a matriculated doctoral student to the completion of all degree requirements.
2. After the student has been accepted as a doctoral candidate, all credit applied toward the doctoral degree must be earned within a period of five years preceding the granting of the degree.
3. A student who has been accepted for a doctoral program but has not taken at least one course within one year after acceptance must make reapplication for admission to the doctoral program through the Office of Graduate Admissions.

Tool requirements

1. Ph.D. candidates must generally satisfy two tool requirements: examinations in two foreign languages, or one in a foreign language and one in a tool subject such as statistics or computer problems, as determined by the department. The exception to the above is in the doctoral programs in psychology where a foreign language is not required. A candidate may satisfy the statistics requirement either by passing a competency examination or by successfully completing course work as determined by the department recommending the degree. Such course work is subject to the same time limitation set for courses noted above. Courses taken to prepare for such examinations may not be part of the number of credits required for the degree.
2. Ed.D. candidates will be required to satisfy only the tool requirement in statistics.

Doctoral Dissertation

1. Doctoral candidates must write a dissertation under the guidance of a sponsoring committee consisting of three full-time faculty members holding an earned doctorate.
2. The dissertation must then be defended orally before a committee, of a minimum of five faculty members.
3. The sponsoring committee will be part of the defense committee.
4. Course work may not be substituted for the dissertation.
5. All work on the dissertation, including data analysis, is to be done by the student under the advisement of her/his committee. If another person is consulted for help, the student must obtain permission. Not obtaining permission for outside help with the research is cause for dismissal from the program.
6. Once the dissertation is successfully defended and signed by the appropriate departmental faculty member(s), the manuscript must be submitted to the Axinn Library electronically. Complete instructions are available on the Axinn Library website.

Contact the major program for specific information.

Transfer Credits

Doctoral candidates offering transfer credits must complete a minimum of half the total course work required for the doctorate at Hofstra. If the candidate holds a master’s degree from Hofstra, the completion of 54 semester hours (credits earned toward a master’s degree may be included) of course work is required for the doctorate in residence. In other cases, a minimum of 45 semester hours must be completed at Hofstra.

Comprehensive Examination

All doctoral candidates must take a doctoral comprehensive examination.

The program of regular semesters is based on a two semester calendar with fall classes beginning on September 6, 2012, and conclude (through final exams) December 19, 2011. All spring semester classes begin January 26, 2012, and conclude (through final exams) May 18, 2012. Credit courses are offered during the January session, January 3-17, 2012, Summer Session I, May 23-June 26, 2012, Summer Session II, June 28-August 1, 2012, Summer Session III, August 6-24, 2012. For information, consult the Graduate Admission Office.

All academic calendars are available online and are subject to change.

Class Schedules

Classes are typically scheduled during the evening hours beginning at 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Some programs offer weekday and weekend classes. Specific class offerings are available online.

January Session

This is a two- to three-week session starting the first week in January. Students attending this session may not earn more than three semester hours of credit or four semester hours of credit if offered on that basis. Please see the online guide as well as the January Bulletin for specific course dates.

Summer Sessions

No graduate student may enroll in either of the two five-week summer sessions for more than 6 semester hours, or if 3- and 4-credit hour courses, 7 semester hours. During the three-week summer session, no student may earn more than 3 or 4 semester hours of credit if offered on that basis. Exceptions to the above may be granted when special circumstances and the student’s special capacities for the work permit. Written approval is required of the dean of the academic unit of the major or proposed major field of study.

Students may obtain credit on their Hofstra records for courses taken at another accredited institution in accordance with the Transfer of Credit regulations set forth in this Graduate Studies Bulletin.

The academic standing of all graduate students will be reviewed each year. It is necessary for graduate students to earn a 3.0 grade point average or better, as required by the program, to be considered in good standing. Students who have failed to maintain a 2.5 grade point average or better, as required by the program, will be dropped immediately. Those who have failed to maintain a 3.0 grade point average or better, as required by the program, will have their status reviewed by the director of their major program and the chairperson. If the director or chairperson feels they have failed to demonstrate adequate competence in their major area, they will be dropped from the University. These students may petition for readmission no sooner than one full year following the dismissal. They may be readmitted, however, only under special circumstances after a careful review of their case by either the director or chairperson and the faculty of their major area. 

A University is a community of faculty, administrators and students dedicated to the pursuit of learning and to the creation of new knowledge. Every individual in this community has an obligation to uphold its intellectual standards, which alone make education worthwhile. It is the responsibility of the faculty not only to share its knowledge, but also to communicate understanding of, and respect for, the process by which knowledge is produced. The goal of most graduate study is individual synthesis and analysis, and the independent evaluation by students of others’ work. Thus, students play an active role in their own education, and each student bears responsibility for his or her work. Anyone who refuses this responsibility both misses the point of a graduate education and proves unworthy of it.

A student who commits any act of academic dishonesty, including knowingly helping another student to commit such an act, is rejecting the responsibility that is inherent in the pursuit of learning and may forfeit the right to remain a member of the academic community, particularly if he or she is unwilling or unable to recognize the seriousness of the offense and fails to demonstrate such recognition by abstaining from further violation of academic propriety.

One learns and contributes to the body of knowledge by reviewing work already done and by using it as the basis for generating new ideas, discovering new data, and drawing new conclusions. Though the process of learning is undeniably collaborative, one’s achievement in that process is assessed on the basis of one’s individual contribution. Academic honesty requires carefully distinguishing one’s own work from that of others. Each individual must fully acknowledge when, where, and how his or her work refers to or depends on that of others. This means carefully tracing the boundary between others’ efforts and one’s own, clearly noting where others’ work leaves off and one’s own begins.

The academic community assumes that work of any kind-whether a research paper, a critical essay, a homework assignment, a test or quiz, a computer program, or a creative assignment in any medium-is done, entirely and without assistance, by the individual whose name it bears. (If joint projects are assigned, then the work is expected to be wholly the work of those whose names it bears.) If the work contains facts, ideas, opinions, discoveries, words, or other elements found in sources, these must be fully and appropriately acknowledged, following a prescribed format for doing so. In general terms, the conventional format consists of a bibliography (a list of sources) coupled with footnotes or parenthetical citations that serve to identify the precise derivation of each idea, fact, paraphrase, or quotation that comes from another’s work.

For further information about policies and procedures concerning violations of academic honesty, consult Faculty Policy Series 11G in the Guide to Pride and at the University Senate Web site.

Hofstra University requires that graduate students in the fall and spring semesters register for courses, maintain matriculation, or take a leave of absence. Students who fail to take one of these steps will be automatically withdrawn from the University.Hofstra University requires graduate students to submit official notification of intent to take an academic leave or withdrawal from the University. An academic leave is an official notification to the University, by a student who has completed at least one semester, that the student is temporarily stopping attendance at Hofstra for a minimum of one full fall or spring semester. A withdrawal indicates that the student has permanently stopped attending the University. When a student withdraws, registration for future semesters will be contingent upon reapplication to the University under admission standards at that time. This request may be made in writing or by completing the online form in the Hofstra Online Information System. To access the form, log into the portal at my.hofstra.edu, click on the Hofstra Online tab and select “Academic Leave/Withdrawal from the University” from the registration menu. If submitted in writing, the request must be signed and dated.

After submitting this request, graduate students must contact the Office of Graduate Admissions in order to process and finalize their request. Please note that academic leave and withdrawal requests are not final until students confer with the appropriate office.

Students who withdraw officially or unofficially from one or more courses after the first week of the term, or equivalent for courses shorter than 15 weeks, will be liable for all or part of the tuition and fees associated with those courses.

Maintaining matriculation is to be used by students in academic pursuits that do not include registration for classes. Students maintaining matriculation are considered “registered” at the University. Examples of academic pursuits include, but are not limited to, work on a thesis and completion of course work where a grade of incomplete was received. Students who are enrolled solely in non-credit bearing coursework will be registered as Maintaining Matriculation by the Registrar and will be charged the published Maintaining Matriculation fee.

Candidates for graduation must file an application for graduation in the Office of Academic Records no later than October 1 for December graduates and March 1 for May graduates. August candidates must file by June 15 for Summer Session I, July 16 for Summer Session II, and August 15 for Summer Session III. There is a fee for late filing. See Tuition and Fees.

All requirements applicable toward a degree, certificate or diploma must be completed and on record in the Office of Academic Records by the end of the first week of June for May degrees, the end of the first week of January for December degrees, and the end of the first week of September for August degrees.

A degree can only be awarded to a student who has maintained a satisfactory record of conduct and has paid all University fees. 

Students must report a change of their home or local address to the Office of Academic Records immediately, located in the Student Financial Services and Registrar Suite, Memorial Hall. Address changes may also be done online.

In order to facilitate orientation and advisement of a student to his or her new major, students must report any change in their major, minor, specialization, concentration, or degree on the official Change of Study form to the Graduate Program Director and the Office of Academic Records. Any change requires a signature from the new department indicating that the student has notified that department and has been made aware of all requirements. Students are not required to obtain a signature from the program or major they are leaving. 

Classroom Code of Conduct for Students (Faculty Policy Series #50). 

Commencement programs are conducted twice each year, in December and in May. Summer candidates are invited to the December exercises and are listed in the program. Information regarding programs is automatically mailed to candidates about six weeks before commencements.

The Graduate Studies Bulletin lists all the graduate courses offered by the University in its programs.

Courses numbered 200 and above are for graduate credit. All 200 and above level business courses are open only to matriculated Zarb School of Business graduate students.

2000-level courses are graduate courses offered in conjunction with 100-level courses, for which graduate students are expected to fulfill substantially enhanced requirements.

Course numbers with A through Z designations usually indicate that as individual subjects are selected, each is assigned a letter and added to the course number. The course may be taken any number of times as long as there is a different letter designation each time it is taken. The University reserves the right to withdraw any scheduled course without notice.

Semester Hour (s.h.)

Semester hour is the term used to describe the number of credits received by the student for successfully completing a specific course. Courses are generally assigned between 1 and 6 semester hours. 

Graduate students with a strong background in a particular field may attempt to earn course credit toward their degree by taking a special examination at Hofstra or through various outside organizations. They must obtain prior approval from the Credit by Examination Coordinator (located in the HCLAS Dean’s Office), the academic chairperson of the department in which the course is given, the graduate program director and the appropriate academic dean. Credits that may be earned are restricted by the following conditions:

1. No more than three semester hours earned under this program may be applied toward the master’s degree; no more than six semester hours earned under this program may be applied toward the doctorate.
2. A grade of at least B- in the examination is necessary for graduate credit to be granted. A grade of C- or better is necessary for undergraduate courses needed to make up deficiencies. No Pass grade is acceptable except for mandatory P/F courses.
3. Credit for an introductory course in a department may not be earned in this program once an advanced course in that department has been completed.
4. Students are not permitted to apply for credit by examination for a course in which they have previously enrolled at Hofstra on a credit or noncredit basis unless they receive permission of the appropriate academic chairperson and the appropriate academic dean.
5. Credits earned do not count in the determination of a student’s full- or part-time status.
6. Credits earned under this program may be considered credits taken in residence at Hofstra.
7. In the Zarb School of Business, matriculated graduate students may use credit by examination only to fulfill 201-level courses. A grade of B- or better is necessary for satisfactory completion of a credit by examination; the grade will be used to calculate academic standing. Students may take as many 201-level courses on a credit by examination basis as they feel appropriate. Students may obtain further details and application forms from the HCLAS Dean’s Office.
8. There is a fee for taking these examinations.
9. Graduate students in the School of Education, Health and Human Services should contact Hofstra’s Office of Certification and Educational Support Services for information regarding the use of CLEP Examinations within their programs. These standardized tests are not given at Hofstra.

The University will confer the graduate degree with distinction on students who have attained a minimum grade point average of 3.75 with at least 80 percent of the credits for the degree earned at Hofstra.

When students make application for entrance to Hofstra University, they understand and agree that the University reserves the right to exclude any student at any time for conduct or academic standing regarded by the University as undesirable, without assigning any further reason. It is understood and agreed that the University, or any of its officers or faculty, shall not be liable in any way for such exclusion.

To ensure the protection of each individual’s rights, procedures for appeal are provided by the University to assure the student fair treatment in cases of disciplinary action.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. They are:

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the University receives a request for access.

   —Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The University official will make arrangements for access and notify the students of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the University official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should have been addressed.

2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading.

   —Students may ask the University to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the University official responsible for the records, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading.

   —If the University decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the University will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedure will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.

3. The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

   —One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate education interests. A school official is a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research of support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the University has contracted (such as attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks.

   —A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.

4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Hofstra University to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-46052

In compliance with the Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (Buckley Amendment), this statement reflects Hofstra University’s policy.

The following directory information may be released. This directory information includes, but is not limited to, the student’s name, address, telephone listing, electronic mail address, photograph, date and place of birth, major field of study, dates of attendance, grade level, enrollment status (e.g., undergraduate or graduate; full- or part-time), participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, degrees, honors and awards received, and the most recent education agency or institution attended.

Information regarding the student’s record: grades, courses, GPA, social security number and other personal information will not be released without the student’s written consent.

The University will not provide directory information for specific students who formally request that such information be withheld from third parties. A form to request nondisclosure of directory information must be filed by the student. This form is available at the Student Administrative Complex, Memorial Hall or can be downloaded from Hofstra’s Web site.

In accordance with the Solomon Amendment, the University will make accessible to the Secretary of Defense, directory information including each student’s name, address, telephone listing, date and place of birth, level of education, academic major, degrees received and the educational institution the student was most recently enrolled. 

Hofstra University is committed to extending equal opportunity to all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national or ethnic origin, physical or mental disability, marital or veteran status in employment and in the conduct and operation of Hofstra University’s educational programs and activities, including admissions, scholarship and loan programs and athletic and other school administered programs. This statement of nondiscrimination is in compliance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act, the Age Discrimination Act and other applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to nondiscrimination (“Equal Opportunity Laws”). The Equal Rights and Opportunity Officer is the University’s official responsible for coordinating its adherence to Equal Opportunity Laws. Questions or concerns regarding any of these laws or other aspects of Hofstra’s Equal Opportunity Statement should be directed to the Equal Rights and Opportunity Officer at (516) 463-7310, C/O Office of Legal Affairs and General Counsel, 101 Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY 11549.

Non Harassment Policy

Hofstra University is committed to professional and interpersonal respect ensuring that no individuals are subjected to harassment or discriminated against in any way on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national or ethnic origin, physical or mental disability, marital or veteran status or any other characteristic protected by state or any other characteristic protected by state or federal laws. Harassment based on any of these characteristics is a form of discrimination prohibited by law and by Hofstra University.  Current non-harassment policy.
 

Students who have been granted permission to complete final semester requirements will be registered as Maintaining Matriculation by the Registrar and will be charged the published Maintaining Matriculation fee. This applies equally to students who are completing their work for the master’s essay although not currently enrolled for the 301-302 courses. This fee also applies to each Fall or Spring semester of study taken by a student at another institution, either within the United States or elsewhere.

Excluding the Law School and the Medical School.

It is the right and responsibility of the faculty to determine student grades at Hofstra University. An instructor’s right to determine a final grade assigned in his or her class shall be abrogated only if it is demonstrated (through the procedure below) that the final course grade was not based on the student’s academic performance in the course.

Each School and College at Hofstra shall adopt procedures consistent with the policy for appeals of final course grades given within that unit. Within these procedures a student shall appeal in writing first to the instructor (unless the instructor is no longer in residence or is otherwise unreachable). If this appeal does not resolve the issue, the student may then appeal to the Chair of the Department. The student shall be required to submit a written statement to the Chair detailing an argument for a change of final grade. The chair shall attempt to mediate a resolution, but can not change a grade. If no satisfactory resolution is achieved, the student has a right to continue the appeal process by making a formal written appeal to the Dean of the unit involved. The Dean may choose to mediate, or to immediately empanel an Ad Hoc Appeals Committee.

The Ad Hoc Appeals Committee shall be composed of three to five tenured faculty. The student must submit a written statement to the committee detailing an argument for a change of grade. The committee shall have the authority to investigate the matter fully and request material from the student and the instructor. The committee, however, proceeds from the presumption that the course grade was justified; the burden of proof shall lie with the student. If the committee members find that the grade was not based on academic performance, they may determine a new grade and submit a change of grade through the Dean’s office.

Both a faculty member and a student have the right to request a review by the Provost of the decision by the Ad Hoc Appeals Committee. In such instances, the Provost shall begin with the presumption that the Ad Hoc Appeals Committee’s determination is correct. The Provost determines if the proper procedure was followed. If he or she determines that there is cause for reconsideration, the Provost shall reconvene the Ad Hoc Appeals Committee for further consideration of the matter. In all cases the Ad Hoc Appeals Committee’s decision shall be forwarded to the student who made the appeal, the instructor involved, and the Dean and Provost.

The full grade appeal policy, including timelines, can be found under Faculty Policy Series #42.

Individual grade appeal policies for the following schools within Hofstra University can be found at:

• HCLAS
• School of Communication
• School of Education
• Frank G. Zarb School of Business

The alphabetical grades, including plus (+) and minus (-), have the following grade point values:

To determine cumulative GPA, multiply the number of semester hours of each grade earned by the grade-point value for that grade. Then total the products and divide by the total number of Hofstra University semester hours attempted.

Hofstra uses an alphabetical system of grades, including plus (+) and minus (-), to describe the quality of the student’s work. Final grades are reported to the Office of Academic Records and can be accessed online.

(not applicable to Law School)
(for Dismissal due to Academic Dishonesty, consult FPS 11G)

Dismissal

The director of a graduate program shall notify a student of his/her dismissal from that program in writing (certified return receipt requested) within 7 days following the decision to dismiss. The notification shall state the reasons for the dismissal and shall be as explicit as possible. The letter shall indicate the appeal procedures specified below. A copy of the letter shall be sent to the Chairperson, the appropriate Dean, the Provost and the Office of Academic Records.

The student is given 15 days after receiving notification of dismissal to decide whether or not to appeal the dismissal. During that time, the student is permitted to continue course work in progress. If a student chooses not to appeal, 15 days after receiving notification of dismissal the student will no longer be permitted to continue course work in progress, to sit in on classes, or to register for additional classes.

Appeals

If dismissal occurs during the semester and the student appeals the decision, the student shall be permitted to continue course work already in progress unless extenuating circumstances have been determined. Grades shall be withheld until the appeal process has been completed. Unless the appeal is successful, no grade or credit will be awarded.

However, if a student is registered for a course that involves an outside internship (including but not limited to field experience, practicum, student teaching), the student may not continue the course during the appeal process unless extenuating circumstances have been determined.

If dismissal occurs at the completion of a semester and the student appeals the decision, the student may not register for or sit in on any courses unless extenuating circumstances have been determined.

Step 1:

The first appeal is at the program level. The student may appeal this decision in writing to the Director of the Program within 15 days from the date of receipt of the letter of dismissal. The letter of appeal shall include the grounds for appealing the dismissal. If no letter is forthcoming, the right of the student to further appeal is waived.

An ad hoc committee of program faculty and the department Chairperson shall be constituted and chaired by the Director. The Director of the Program shall inform the student in writing (certified return receipt requested) of the date, time and location of the Program ad hoc committee meeting. The student must inform the Program Director if he/she chooses to appear before the committee. The student may be accompanied by one adviser of his/her choosing. Under no condition shall the adviser address the committee.

The Director shall inform the student in writing (certified return receipt requested) of the decision of the Committee within 15 days from the date of the receipt of the appeal letter. (A copy of the letter shall be sent to the Chairperson, the appropriate Dean, the Provost and the Office of Academic Records.) The student may appeal this decision in writing.

Step 2:

The second appeal is at the Dean’s level. The student may appeal in writing to the Dean within 15 days of the receipt of the Program’s decision. If no letter is forthcoming, the right of the student to further appeal is waived.

The Dean shall conduct a full review of the appeal, which may include independent research and/or discussion with the program’s Ad Hoc Committee. The Dean shall inform the student in writing (certified return receipt requested) of his/her decision within 15 days from the date of receipt of the appeal letter. (A copy of the letter shall be sent to the Program Director, the Chairperson, the Provost and the Office of Academic Records.) The student may appeal this decision in writing.

Step 3:

The final appeal is at the Provost’s level. The student may appeal in writing to the Provost within 15 days of the receipt of the Dean’s decision.

The Provost shall inform the student in writing (certified return receipt requested) of his/her decision within 15 days from the date of the receipt of the appeal letter. The Provost’s decision is final. (A copy of the letter shall be sent to the Program Director, the Chairperson, the appropriate Dean and the Office of Academic Records.)

Effective fall 2009, at the beginning of each semester, students are expected to log on to their Hofstra portal account to confirm semester attendance.    Failure to confirm attendance within the first three (3) weeks of class during a fall or spring semester may result in the inability to access certain areas on the Portal (e.g., Blackboard).  For terms that are of shorter duration (e.g., January, summer) the corresponding deadlines are available online.

All Hofstra students receive an online portal account. Students can use the Hofstra portal account to access various University computer services, such as to connect to the wireless network, access e-mail, print documents and store files on the Hofstra network.  Faculty and school administration regularly communicate important information to students via their Hofstra e-mail account. Therefore, students are responsible for accessing their Hofstra e-mail accounts on a regular basis to check for important communications.

Use of the Hofstra Network and e-mail account and all other Hofstra computing facilities is subject to Hofstra University’s Computer Networks Acceptable Use Policy, copies of which are available at the University’s computer labs and electronically on the Web (hofstra.edu/StudentServ/CC/SCS/SCS_policy.cfm).